Metal–organic frameworks for photocatalysis

Photocatalysis is a promising technology to convert solar energy into chemical energy. Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as novel photocatalysts owing to their inherent structural characteristics of a large surface area and a well-ordered porous structure. Most importantly, via modulation of the organic linker/metal clusters or incorporation with metal/complex catalysts, not only the reactant adsorption and light absorption but also the charge separation and reactant activation will be largely promoted, leading to superior photocatalytic performance. In this article, we will first introduce the photophysical/chemical properties of MOFs; then various strategies of modification of MOFs towards better photocatalytic activity will be presented; finally, we will address the challenge and further perspective in MOF-based photocatalysis.